Miss You, Mom

I'll be spending today with Dad and my sister Morlee. It's our annual tradition each April 16th. Three years ago today, we said our final goodbyes to Mom. Anita Ruth Hale had fought a five-month battle against colon cancer, and just before 1:00 that afternoon, she took her final breath and passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior. It's so hard, thinking back on those final days. That's why we choose instead to celebrate her life on this date each year.

Most of you never knew my mother. Those of you who did know what a piece of work she was. She had a heart the size of her beloved Texas, and up until the last couple years of her life, she had more energy and drive and passion for life than most people half her age.

Born in Memphis, Texas, Mom was the only daughter of Bill and Ina Hale. She always felt like she lived in the shadow of her two brothers, Billy B and Jim, but that was not really the case. Those guys loved their "baby sister" and old family photographs show clear evidence of their adoration for her.

Mom graduated from Texas Tech University then continued her education at the University of Iowa where she got her Masters in Speech Pathology. It was on that Iowa campus that she met a handsome young man who'd just returned from serving as a B-17 copilot with the Mighty 8th Air Force in WWII. They were introduced on a blind date as a joke, both having the same last name. Glenn Hale married Anita Hale on October 23, 1948. They were married for 58 years.

For more than 36 of those years, Mom and Dad co-owned Bulk Vendors Supply in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Not many couples can successfully work together, but they made it look easy. While Dad was out running routes, Mom would mind the shop, often using any free time there to work on her writing. Like me, Mom was an aspiring writer. She authored several childrens books and also wrote many feature articles for the Tulsa Tribune. One of my favorite stories about Mom involved a book-signing for one of her childrens books. Below her signature, she added the reference of a verse of Scripture that coincided with the subjet of the book. After many such signings, someone approached her and quietly asked, "Are you aware that verse of scripture is about circumcision?" I can only imagine Mom's eyes popping wide open and her gasp of horror! Apparently she'd written down the wrong verse or chapter number. I still laugh out loud every time I envision her reaction!

Mom & Dad loved to travel. They were avid members of Dad's 390th Bomb Group, faithfully attending reunions with other veterans and their wives over the years. On the 50th anniversary of VE-Day, they joined a group on a trip to Europe for a special commemorative tour. We actually saw them on CBS news one night as they attended a special memorial service at a church in England. For their 50th wedding anniversary, my sister and I took them on an Alaskan cruise. And that picture to the left? That's Mom and me sharing a laugh on the Sea of Galilee while on a tour of the Holy Land.

Back in 1983, before the grandkids came along, we all spent Christmas in Williamsburg. At the airport before their return flight home, Mom made a stop in the ladies room. On her way back through the terminal to rejoin Dad and our aunt, a stranger approached Mom to tell her that her "rear view" was exposed, her skirt accidently tucked into her pantyhose. I'm sure that gasp of horror far exceeded the one at the booksigning! No one enjoyed a good laugh as much as Mom, so she always had a hoot telling these stories over the years.

She was a loving mother, an adoring wife, proud grandmother (that's her with our son Ben when he was just two days old), and a dear friend to so many people. I remember as a child returning home from school each day when she would sit down across the kitchen table wanting to hear even the tiniest of minute details about my day. I had no idea at the time how precious it was to have her undivided attention, but I certainly knew what it meant to be loved.

I could ramble forever, remembering stories about my mother. For now, thank you for letting me share a few of those memories with you on this special day.

Love you, Mom. We miss you so much.